Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-05-14

~"S Sp~HHSs
: reflected. There had been, earlier in the day
.;versation with his professor, in which the latter
promised to take him out Of the country in q week
at furthest, as soon, in fact. as he had concluded the
sale Of his proprietary club. with all its rights, ad.
'~vantages, good will and clientele. The purchaser,
we may explain. in parenthesis. was a gentleman
post of proprietor. That Is to say. he was perfectly
interruptions. without morals, honesty. prejudice or
pity. And yet. for want OF the good manners which
served the count III lieu Of these things, he speedily
ruined the club and dispersed the gamblers, who
now gamble elsewhere. A week at furthest. He
could not shove the old gentlcmandownt the stairs. as
he wished to do. 1t was necessary either to change
his lodging OF" to conciliate him.
He conciliated him. He assured Uncle Joseph that
1t would give him the greatest satisfaction to condde
In his honor. and to receive him In this apartment.
Then said the old man, with an Involuntary
smacking OF his lips. 'as you've got, no doubt, some
o. tne money left, my dear young friend. and it is
very pleasant to sit and talk, let us have-ah!-let US
champagne"
1supposc his long professional career had accus.
toned MIN to associate champagne with secrecy, just
as other peoples experience leads them to associat to
champagne with love, Or with race courses, or with
dancing.
Joseph drank it nearly all, and on parting shook
DICK enuslvely by the hand, promised to come again
next day, and swOre that his secret was as sacred as
That OF the Ihirty-third degree.
He Kept his word, and returned faithfully the next
evening. VIXEN he had another bottle of champagne.
How valuable a thing Is a secret properly handled!
Uncle Joseph rubbed his hands over his own clever.
ness. Why, it was almost like a return to the good
OLD times, except that the bottle Of champagne was
nos preceded ny a banquet. This caused unsteadt-
ness or gait on the way home. and a disposition to
laugh and sit on doorsteps, to become playful, and
TO md ones speech strangely thick. Dicks secret.
however, was safe.
"Oh, my dear young friend" said Uncle Joseuh.
what a happiness for you that It was I who dlscov.
cred you; suppose it had been your father or Norah7
what would have happened? was in a police court
this morning he certainly was u delightful com.
panion-"l was in a police court, and there was a
poor young man brought up for embezzlement He
had run away, and they found him. and he was com.
mitted for trial. I thought Of you, Dick, and my
heart bled. Ill come again tomorrow"
He did return next day. but meantime Dick had
heard something which made him less careful to
conctliate the man who had his secret. In fact, the
word had come to be in readiness.
The count had settled everything, and they were
to go away the very next day. Therefore, when
Uncle Joseph rubbed his hands, and said that 1t was
thirsty weather, sent by Providence In order TO
bring out the full flavor Of a dry, sparkling wine.
Dick coolly said that he wasn't going to stand any
more. but II Uncle Joseph chose to drink soda and
whisky, instead, he could.
The old man was wounded in his tenderest and
most sacred depths. But he sembl and drank
the substitute. which, as compared with the great
original, is little better than mere zoedone. He
drank 1t, and went away early, with treachery in his
heart, but a smile upon his lips.
Come tomorrow night, Uncle Joseph said Dick,
ana you snail have as much champagne as you can
drink. You shall battle in champagne II you like"
There was a something. this injured old man
felt, which meant mischief. He would not get
the promised champagne. Dick wouldn't look like
that II he meant fair and honest. Yet how mean,
How paltry! To grudge a single bottle of champagne.
just one . day. for the safeguarding Of so valuable a
secret!
In the morning Uncle Joseph made quite a long
journey. He took the train from Kings Cross to
Bishopsgate, whence he walked to Whitechapel road.
Here he took the train which runs along the Com.
mercial road. He got out half way down, and made
his way through certain b~y-streets to CLAIMS road,
%Shadwell, where stands the Children's Hospital.
By this time he had learned everything, partly by
pretending to know already, and partly by cunning
questions, and partly because Dick, with a brutal
cynicism, made no secret OF his own infamy. Among
other things, therefore, he knew that Norah's pre-.
tended holiday was a blind to conceal from the doc.
tor for q while the fact that she had left her post as
private secretary to Mr.. Murridge. under an ACCUSE
tion OF completely, at least, in a crime.
He went first to Hugh, who presently called Cal.
ista.
II Thought" he said. in conclusion. that the young
mans friends ought to know. He may be snatched
from worse evils, even If he is punished for what he
has done. His father Is a hard man, but he Is, l dare
say, just. And Dick ia, l fear, in very bad company
very bad company, indeed. There were cards on
the table, and l fear there has been drinking"
He fingered, as II there was something more he
would like to say. Presently he desired q word In
private with Hugh.
He went away with a sovereign in his pocket. He
had sold his secret for u sovereign. 1t was unworthy
the possessor OF 50 Ilany degrees.
He spent the evening at q restaurant in the Strand
over q large bottle OF champagne, taken with and
after q colorado imitation OF 4 banquet. There were,
however, no speeches, because it might have an.
peared strange for an elderly gentleman to rise at
spond for the craft. But the wine was Perrier Jouet,
and he drank 1t s owly and b~lissfu!ly.
II In these days OF forced abstinence the tempter
were to approach Uncle Joseph. holding a bottle of
champagne in hts hand in exchange for the sublime
secrets OF tn, Thirty.third degree. would his virtue
sustain him in that hour?